I recently watched part of a four-hour series airing on PBS about the decline of American public health, specifically how economic and educational inequalities can lead to inequalities with the health and well being of our communities, states, and nation.
As part of a primer for this documentary, I was sent a couple of points which I wanted to share with my readers. I think it is important to understand not only these concepts, but the stories and facts that surround them. Definitely check out the series "Unnatural Causes".
1. Health is more than health care. Fixing health care shouldn't mean just giving equal hospital or doctor access. Its not just the hospital system, the medicine you take, or the doctors you see. It's also the job you work at, the places you live, the schools you go to. Or even the sex, or race you are. All these things effect your health on a deep level. Social policies are just as important to change as health care policies. See wikipedia for "Social determinants of health".
2. Health is tied to the distribution of resources. Believe it. This shouldn't be hard to figure out. The people at the top, have the most power and resources and on average, live longer and healthier lives. On average, people with lower economic status are four times as likely to die early.
3. Health inequalities are not natural. Humans were born with an innate sense of compassion. The systematizing and industrialization of our health care system (and society in general) has stripped away our awareness of our neighbors suffering. Every day we walk past people who may be in great pain, who simply can't afford to go to the doctor to be treated.
4. The choices we make are shaped by the choices we have. Individual behaviors and choices - diet and exercise - matter for health. But living a healthy lifestyle isn't always about self-discipline, or pulling yourself up by your bootstraps. Its the neighborhood you live in, the enviroment - the fact your mother or father smoked. The same reason you may favor diet drinks, may be similar to why an individual smokes. Cultural pressures, education, availability, etc.
5. Inequality - economic and political - is bad for our health. The United States has by far the most inquality in the industrialized world - and the worst health. The top 1% now owns as much wealth as the bottom 90%. Economic inquality in the U.S. is now greater than at any time since the 1920s.
6. We all pay the price for poor health.
This should explain itself.
Ask yourself is health care is not viewed as a capitalistic privilege for the rich? I'm simply preaching to myself here...